Met Office weather forecast: Temperatures plunge to MINUS ELEVEN as Sudden Stratospheric Warming risks new 'Beast from the East'

Winter is set to return with a vengeance despite high pressure systems dominating the UK in previous weeks, resulting in mostly mild conditions.

Temperatures are likely to dip to as low as -11C at the back end of February, with wintry conditions to affect Britain over ten days into March.

A ‘Sudden Stratospheric Warming’ (SSW), which resulted in 2018’s ‘Beast from the East’, is expected to return, which will cause the chaotic conditions.

For now, Britain is enjoying spring-like conditions, with temperatures reaching 13C in parts of the south and 11C in the north, with some sub-zero temperatures overnight.

Britain is set for wintry conditions
Image: Met Office

Gusty winds and rain will hit parts of the north from Friday, with the conditions expected to push into the south.

Britain will then feel the full effects of winter with another blast of freezing weather, something it has experienced twice already during the season.

A sub-zero week in January followed two weeks of freezing conditions in December.

A forecaster from the Met Office said: “During February 25 to March 11, a period of colder or much colder temperatures is a possibility.”

Netweather's Nick Finnis added: “A SSW means there could be much colder and wintry weather before spring arrives.

“They trigger colder conditions in the UK on average two out of every three times they occur.”

The phenomenon will require preparations from Brits as it could result in deadly conditions, with 2018’s ‘Beast from the East’ causing 17 fatalities.

The Met Office issued a red weather warning in parts of the country - meaning a risk to life - as snow prompted mass travel disruption.

One man in London died after being pulled from a frozen lake, while Scotland, Devon, Somerset and South Wales were the worst hit areas.